Strangers in a Waiting Room
by reminiscent-afterthought
Summary: [AU] Takuya was just planning on an average visit. But Koji's in the hospital since before he got there, and along the way he finds out more secrets about the Minamotos than even Koji's aware of. Until he wakes up anyhow.
1. An Unexpected Visit Turns on its Head

**A/N:** Written for the Becoming the Tamer King Challenge, Training Peak task  
the AU Devils of Doom Challenge, #273 – meet at hospital! AU  
the Advent Calendar Challenge, Day 24 – write a fic between 3 and 5. Hopefully, by the time it finishes, it will be.

* * *

**Strangers in a Waiting Room  
_1\. An Unexpected Visit Turns on its Head_**

Takuya decided he'd chosen a bad day to visit. Not that he could have known that before time. It was supposed to be a perfectly innocent surprise – which may or may not have had a prank mixed in. It depended on whether or not Koji's parents were home. He didn't think Mr Minamoto would be as impressed with the bucket on the door handle prank as his own father tended to be.

And, of course, Koji wouldn't be as receptive as Shinya…with receptive being loud and whining and retaliating in kind the moment Takuya dropped his guard.

He hadn't expected to find the door wide open and Koji's parents arguing about something or other. And he hadn't realised he'd walked in to their living room without even knocking until Mr Minamoto brought off mid-sentence and stared at him.

'I'm sorry,' Takuya said, babbling a little as he tended to do when he felt like he was in trouble. And even if it was the house of his best friend, he shouldn't have walked in without permission. 'I just came to…err…see Koji.'

'He's not here,' Mr Minamoto said, sighing after that and running a hand through his hair. He had more wrinkles in his face than Takuya remembered him having.

'He's in the hospital,' Mrs Minamoto added.

Takuya's jaw dropped. Mrs Minamoto's eyes were red, he noticed. And she was dressed more formally than normal, though her clothes were wrinkled. He wondered why he noticed those little things. 'The – the hospital?' His voice went up an octave. Maybe two. 'But…he was fine yesterday…' But even as he said that, his voice trailed off. Had he missed something? Had he been blind?

The adults were staring at each other, having a silent conversation. Or maybe they were arguing silently. But then Mrs Minamoto said "he's Koji's friend" and the battle was won.

Still, Takuya didn't understand what Mr Minamoto said next – or straight away. 'And she's his mother.'

He sounded defeated. Mrs Minamoto sounded firm when she replied: 'Yes, she is.'

Takuya knew Mrs Minamoto was Koji's stepmother. That she'd married his father almost three years ago. That their anniversary was the same day as Shinya's birthday. That Koji was supposed to join the Kanbara's and some of Shinya's friends for a birthday celebration because Koji didn't want to be within ten feet of any anniversary celebrations.

But Koji had told him his birth mother was dead.

But Mrs Minamoto was talking again. 'We just got back from the hospital.' She sounded apologetic, though the tiredness was obvious and Takuya wondered how he'd missed that amongst all the other little cues he'd picked up. 'If you'd like to visit him tomorrow, we'll be leaving just after eight. We can give you a lift if you're here before then.'

'I'll be here,' Takuya promised. He'd set his alarm and make sure his entire family knew he had to be here by eight. Anything it took.

And he'd probably spent the night wondering and worrying and not get a wink of sleep anyhow.


	2. A Doorway Gets the Most Greetings

**Strangers in a Waiting Room  
_2\. A Doorway Gets the Most Greetings_**

It turned out Takuya hadn't needed any of his extra precautions at all, and had been up and about by six…and that was excluding the cup of hot chocolate he'd had near midnight. His mother, apparently pre-empting him, had one made by the time he'd stumbled in to the kitchen, and he'd drank it thankfully and stumbled back to bed.

She'd also had fried egg rolls made when he got downstairs after deciding he couldn't sleep – or pretending to sleep, since it had been quite a long night and he wasn't sure how much of that had actually gone towards sleeping – any longer. She herself was humming quietly as she piled clothes in to the laundry.

Takuya hugged her from behind and she rubbed his hair soothingly. But she didn't say anything, and Takuya was glad. He didn't need to hear anything like "your friend will be okay" until he actually knew what was wrong, and his visit to the Minamotos the afternoon before had only told him Kouji was in the hospital.

He didn't even know _which_ hospital. They weren't exactly a rarity.

He left the house once his mother had finished loading the washing machine and packed him lunch "just in case", yelling a greeting at his father and brother who'd been awoken by the alarms he'd set, made it to the Minamoto's probably too early to be polite, and spent the rest of the time walking up and down the street until the big clock in the park said it was almost eight.

He knocked this time, and the Minamotos came out. Maybe they'd spent the extra time waiting for him as well. They only exchanged greetings as Mr Minamoto unlocked the car.

Takuya got in to the backseat and the trip to the hospital was made, short and silent. Parking was plentiful that early and it seemed the Minamotos knew where they were going. Takuya only trailed behind them. Mr Minamoto walked fast. Which was good; it left less time to worry.

It also meant someone was liable to bump in to somebody, but he supposed Mr Minamoto must've had good reflexes because he managed to stop himself from doing just that when the door he was reaching for slid open.

Takuya, behind him, couldn't see his expression, or Mrs Minamoto's, but he could see the boy's.

But what struck him before that was how eerily it looked like Koji's. In fact, the name was half out of his mouth before he cut himself off. 'No, you're…not Koji.'

The eyes were slightly darker, and the skin slightly paler. And the hair was cut differently and slightly lighter too.

The boy tore his eyes away from the adults – or maybe he'd jumped at the chance for a distraction because Takuya definitely saw _relief_ amongst the new emotions on his face – and looked at Takuya. 'Koichi Kimura.'

A nurse appeared behind him. 'Two visitors at a time,' she warned, looking at the four in the doorway.

'I'll wait,' Takuya volunteered. It only made sense the parents should be first after all.

He went to the couches he'd passed near the lifts, and Koichi followed him.


	3. Couches Aren't a Good Conversation Start

**Strangers in a Waiting Room  
_3\. Couches Aren't a Good Conversation Starter_**

Takuya remembered his father complaining about hospital chairs back when Shinya was born, but the couches were surprisingly comfortable. Takuya plopped down on an empty one, figuring the one with a backpack on it was probably already taken.

He was proven right when Koichi sat next to it and pulled out a math workbook. It couldn't be anything else with the symbols on the cover.

Takuya grimaced, and totally forgetting he was talking to a stranger, commented: 'Isn't it too early for math?'

Koichi looked up from his book and stared at the other. _Surprise_, Takuya ticked off. _Though not annoyed like Koji would have been._ As an afterthought, he added to himself: _Should probably stop comparing him to Koji. _'Why do you look like Koji anyway?' he asked aloud. 'I mean…your hair and eyes are slightly different and you're a little paler than he is… Twins?' Before Koichi could confirm or deny, Takuya continued: 'Clone? Mirror spirit or something like that? Time-travelling reincarnation?'

Koichi started laughing before Takuya could think of any other possibilities.

'Okay, those last few were ridiculous,' Takuya admitted. 'So…which is it? Or none of the above?'

'A multiple choice test?' But he wasn't laughing anymore, nor did he sound amused. Still not annoyed though. Uncomfortable, maybe.

Takuya hadn't even _started_ pushing yet.

But it turned out he didn't need to because the other looked down and mumbled: 'twin.'

'Oh.' Takuya blinked. He'd been hoping for one of the other possibilities, because Koji hadn't ever mentioned a twin. 'How does that work?'

Koji would have given a sarcastic response to that, but Koichi just gave a bit of a shrug and stared at his workbook. He hadn't opened it yet though, and so Takuya took that to mean he wasn't against a conversation. Just…uncomfortable with the whole situation.

Then a nurse with a trolley packed with fancy equipment walked past and Takuya remembered where they were – and why.

Not that he'd forgotten.

'Koji, what the hell did you _do_?'

Koichi was staring at him again, but this time it was Takuya's eyes focused elsewhere.

Then Koichi said something and Takuya looked. 'I missed that,' he said apologetically.

'I – ' The other seemed to toy with his previous statement before repeating it. 'Did P – his – our…' Takuya noted the order. '…father say anything?'

'It was more Mrs Minamoto,' Takuya admitted. 'And she only said Koji was in the hospital. Not why.'

Koichi looked like he wanted to comment on that. Takuya recognised that look. Koji wore it only too often, especially when they hadn't known each other all that well.

And was it just Takuya, or did the other look a little relieved as well?

When Koichi said 'sorry' before anything else, Takuya decided it wasn't his imagination.

He thought he could also guess why. Takuya probably knew more about Koji than Koichi did. Considering Koji had been under the impression he was an only child and all.

There was the possibility that this was just a very bad joke, but someone had to have quite a cruel sense of humour for that.

Koichi opened his book. Takuya stared at the ceiling, trying to piece things together.


	4. Friends are Easier to Talk to than Assoc

**Strangers in a Waiting Room  
_4\. Friends are Easier to Talk to than Associates_**

In retrospect, bringing homework was probably a smart idea. With the two visitors per patient rule, waits were a given. And while Takuya was well used to talking to Koji and knew which buttons to push when and which not too, Koji's brother who'd appeared out of the blue was an entirely different matter.

So there was an uncomfortable silence that was only punctured by people wandering past – and why weren't there anyone else in the floor longue? – and the turning of pages.

But silences made Takuya say things – sometimes not altogether thought out – and he finally gave up trying to piece an unseen puzzle together. 'So…Koji said his mother was dead?'

'Yes.' Koichi didn't look up from his book, and his tone was surprisingly cool. 'That would be our father's fault.'

_Yep,_ Takuya said to himself. _Foot in mouth._

He peddled mentally. 'Koji will be happy. He's always missed his birthmother. Pined, really.'

Koichi said nothing. Takuya once again saw the expression that suggested he very much wanted to.

'You should say what's on your mind,' Takuya recommended. That approach had failed with Koji, but…who knew. Might work here. 'I've probably said worse already. Foot in mouth sort of guy, you know.'

Koichi shook his head. 'It was…wrong.'

'Wrong like thinking he'll take your mother away?' Takuya asked curiously. It was the first thing that popped into _his_ head, and he thought the idea wasn't totally outlandish. 'If she's not dead and you exist, I suppose you live with her?'

In retrospect, he probably could have worded that better, but it accomplished what he meant it to anyhow. Koichi lowered his pen – and Takuya wondered belatedly why it wasn't a pencil instead – and looked at him again.

And his expression was surprised and maybe a little ashamed too. 'Something like that,' he admitted. 'But it's unfair; I know.'

Takuya shrugged. 'Nothing wrong with thinking that though,' he said. 'I thought the same when my little brother was born, but the kid grew on me.' He changed the track of the conversation there. 'When did you find out?'

'Yesterday.' Then Koichi's brow furrowed. 'Did you – oh, yesterday.'

Takuya didn't manage to follow that, and he said as much.

'I wasn't sure what you were asking about,' Koichi said apologetically. 'But it's the same answer either way.'

When he'd found out about Koji and when he'd found out Koji was in the hospital.

And, Takuya noted from that answer, he'd been in much the same bout as Koji.

He wondered what would happen now.

'Well…' he said, feeling awkward all of a sudden. And he didn't normally do that. 'Talking's…good.'

His lips flickered into what might have been a smile. 'You're Koji's friend.'

Takuya wasn't sure if it was a question or a comment. He picked the tone easily though. Not quite the "You're not my friend" Koji used to try until he gave in and admitted Takuya _was_, but similar nonetheless.

And it occurred to him he hadn't introduced himself. He'd missed a good opportunity too.

Well, there was a good opportunity again. 'I'm Takuya Kanbara.'


	5. Introductions are Better Late than Never

**Strangers in a Waiting Room  
_5\. Introductions are Better Late than Never_**

Koichi blinked. Takuya thought that must mean he hadn't noticed he'd been talking to someone whose name he hadn't known. Now that Takuya thought about it himself, that was quite uncomfortable.

Well, it was all patched up now anyhow. And with any luck, he wouldn't let the incident slip in front of his mother and get scolded for lack of manners.

The conversation had slipped into silence again. Koichi clearly didn't want to spill his guts out to a stranger – or to Koji's best friend for that matter – and Takuya couldn't say he blamed the other. And the hospital was getting busier, making it harder to forget why they were there.

And that Takuya still didn't know anything about his best friend's condition.

It was almost nine by the time Takuya sighed, gave up, and stood. 'I'm going to take a peak,' he said.

But a peak turned into more when he walked in and the Minamoto's turned around in surprise.

Maybe they'd forgotten, Takuya mused to himself, as the adults looked at each other and then Mr Minamoto got out of his chair. 'I can come back…'

But Mr Minamoto shook his head. 'I need to talk to…' He wandered off without finishing the statement.

Mrs Minamoto did for him. 'Koichi,' she explained, gesturing to the seat her husband had vacated.

Takuya slid the door closed behind him and sat down. He'd been about to ask. Offering extra information was always a good sign. But Koji was lying on the bed and that's what he'd come for and all the other, extra, bits of information fled from his mind.

Pale. _Check._ Flushed cheeks. _Check_. Too smooth blankets. _Check_. Sleeping on his back – because Koji _hated_ sleeping on his back. _Check_. Tubes and wires and things Takuya couldn't even pretend to understand. _Check._ Guilt and confusion and some emotion that tasted roughly like bile. _Check_.

'Sleeping pills,' Mrs Minamoto said.

Takuya tore his eyes away from his friend and stared at her. 'What?'

'Sleeping pills,' she repeated. She looked even more tired than yesterday, even though a night had passed since. 'Kousei's.' Her eyes flickered to the door he'd left from, then back to where Koji's hands rested, outside the coverlet. 'I…maybe he thought…his mother…' She twisted her clasped hands. 'Kousei told him she was dead.'

Takuya already knew that part, and that already formed foundation helped the rest of the bits she'd given him snap into place.

But still… 'I don't understand.'

She smiled sadly at him. 'It's not my place to say.'

Takuya thought he understood what he'd walked in on the night before.

He looked at Koji again. He was pale now. The difference was obvious. Had he been paler than normal the last time Takuya had seen him? He didn't think so. He didn't remember anything strange at all. Aside from the anniversary approaching – but he'd been like that last year as well.

Takuya had used the flour over the door trick then. And invited him to Shinya's birthday party. And Koji had been happy.

But now…

_I only saw him a few days ago and he'd looked _fine_._

He felt his eyes pricking with tears.


	6. Strangers are the Easiest to Talk To

**Strangers in a Waiting Room  
_6\. Strangers are the Easiest to Talk To_**

Hospital bathrooms were surprisingly clean, Takuya thought. Maybe it was to stop germs from spreading or something like that, but they were a great deal better than most public bathrooms.

All Takuya needed to do was wash his face though, so he didn't spent too long admiring.

Which was probably a good thing, because he was just throwing a wet paper towel in the bin when the door opened again.

It was Koichi though and none of the adults.

'Escaping from the adults,' he said, when Takuya looked at him.

Takuya laughed. Though it must have been a little watery because the other turned away uncomfortably. 'I'm sorry, I'll…'

'No need.' Takuya felt his eyes. They were dry. 'It's just that…hospitals aren't good places to play pranks.'

_Definitely need to think before I speak,_ he decided, once his ears registered what his mouth had said. Then he figured he might as well explain. 'See, I was planning on pranking Koji yesterday, but things weren't a little…umm, pear-shaped.'

No way could his mother scold him for that adjective.

Koichi leaned against the wall. He seemed to fight with words for a moment, then asked: 'Do you normally..?'

'Prank Koji?' Takuya finished. At a nod, he answered: 'Well, depends on what sort of mood he's in. He doesn't mind it as much as he pretends he does, so it's good for breaking him out of bad moods.'

Except he'd been a little late on the uptake this time.

'Thought so anyway,' he amended. 'It's just…'

'Shocking?' Koichi suggested.

'Yeah. Shocking.' Takuya grabbed the word. 'I'm sorry,' he added.

The other gave a half-shrug, the corners of his lips flicking in to a smile. 'Your Koji's friend.' But this time, the tone suggested something else.

'I'm Takuya,' Takuya reminded.

'Takuya said talking was good,' Koichi returned, somewhat teasingly.

'You got me.' Takuya grinned, before frowning. 'Now, if only Koji had gotten that –' There was frustration there, but he pushed it down. They'd known each other for more than a year, but Koji still wasn't the sort to speak about his feelings. His mind yes, but not his feelings.

Koichi was looking at his feet now. Maybe he thought he'd been too direct to a stranger.

'My favourite colour is orange,' Takuya said.

Koichi looked up again.

'Orange,' Takuya repeated.

'Purple,' Koichi said, after a moment's hesitation.

'Purple's a calm colour,' Takuya commented. 'Clashes horribly with my mum.'

'It suits mine.' After another hesitation.

'Is she here?' Takuya asked curiously.

'She's here. She went to buy breakfast before, but she's at the longue.'

With Mr and Mrs Minamoto probably. That sounded like an awkward mix. No wonder Koichi had escaped it.

'Hospitals are slow, aren't they?'

_Real good conversation topic, Takuya,_ he berated himself after.

'Koji's fine.' Koichi's lips twitched into a frown. 'Or he will be, once he wakes up.'

Takuya wondered as to the tone of that, but he just said: 'Physically, but…'

'…but not mentally.' Koichi ran a hand through his fringe. 'I don't belong here.'

'Why not?'

Koichi's somewhat frustrated-sounding reply came at the same time as Takuya's own thought. And both said the same thing. The two brothers didn't know each other at all.


	7. Conversations are a Good Hiding Place

**Strangers in a Waiting Room  
_7\. Conversations are a Good Hiding Place_**

'Well…' Takuya didn't really know what to say, but talking was easier than saying silent. 'I guess your parents being here means they're not going to pretend the other half of the family doesn't exist anymore?'

'I guess.' That was hardly a comforting thought though. But it wasn't like they could forget all over again. Takuya didn't have any need _to_ forget – but even if he did, he didn't think he was going to forget that image of Koji in a hospital bed…and that was regardless of whether he was his best friend or not.

When he'd registered the tubes and wires and things, he'd forgotten all about facial features.

And the air was distinctly uncomfortable again.

_If we met somewhere else… And if…everything…else wasn't going on…_

It wouldn't be like this. Takuya was sure it wouldn't be like this.

Then again, it sounded like Koji would meet his mother and brother, and all other combinations, because of that "everything" his mind didn't want to give a word to.

'It must feel pretty weird…' he mused aloud. 'Out of the blue finding out you've got a brother. And your other parent's alive and well.'

'My mother didn't tell me my father was dead,' the other snapped, before flushing. 'I'm sorry.'

It didn't sound like the apology was aimed at him, and so Takuya didn't comment on it. 'I suppose Koji wouldn't have left it alone if he knew his mother was alive,' he said thoughtfully, instead. 'Especially after his father remarried.'

Silence, before Koichi asked, curiously and a little tentatively. 'How is she?'

'Mrs Minamoto?' At a nod, he answered: 'She's nice. She tries extra hard to be nice to Koji too, because Koji doesn't like her. I think it's because he feels like she's taking the place of his real mother. It wouldn't matter who she was.'

'I…guess I can understand that.' Koichi looked a little thoughtful. 'Most people don't want a child from a previous marriage attached.'

'Mrs Minamoto just wishes Koji'd open up a little more, but she's a good sort.' Takuya shrugged. 'I wish that myself, really. Are you?'

'Am I..?' Koichi's expression morphed into a bemused one.

'Open.' Takuya meant it partially in jesting, but the frustration with the situation might have snuck in.

And Koichi caught that, because his answer was: 'Unfortunately not.'

'Well…' If Takuya had been facing a wall, he'd have head-butted it by then. 'Damn.' As it was, he crossed his arms. 'I'll have to work with both of you.'

'Both of us?' the other echoed.

'Well, yeah. You'll be visiting Koji and I'll catch you there. Or…' Takuya considered. 'Where do you live?'

'Kyoto.' At Takuya's surprised look, Koichi added: 'We took the first inter-city train this morning.'

'Ouch,' Takuya winced. 'What was that? Three in the morning?'

'Thereabouts,' Koichi agreed.

'And – ' Takuya paused. 'We've sure jumped conversation topics.' He didn't mind it, and he didn't think the other minded either. In fact, it might've been on purpose.

'And avoiding the…heart of the matter.'

'Yeah,' Takuya nodded. 'That.' Silence again. 'You're a good distraction.'

_Whoops. Should really think_.

But Koichi let out a bit of a giggle, so Takuya supposed he hadn't insulted him.


	8. Family is Always the Last to Know

**Strangers in a Waiting Room  
_8\. Family is Always the Last to Know_**

They got chased out of the bathroom soon-after when a cleaner came, but by then the conversation had shifted a number of other times. In that, Koichi had learnt a little more about Koji as well as his brown haired companion, and Takuya had learned a good deal about Koichi and his mother. Including the fact that, though he wasn't particularly open, changes in his facial expression usually told quite a bit more. And that meant that Koichi was far easier to read than Koji.

Which was a relief, because he was a little cut up about the fact that he'd missed Koji's troubling feelings. He'd spent a large portion of his sleepless night thinking about that. Wondering where he'd gone wrong. What he'd missed. Eventually he'd decided that if Koji's parents hadn't seen it coming, he couldn't have seen it either.

Then again, Takuya was under the impression that he was trusted more than Koji's parents were. Unless one counted that portrait of Koji's mother on his desk.

Of course, Koji's birthmother in the flesh probably knew as much as Koichi did…or a little more if anything wasn't for children's ears, as adults were fond of saying.

They peeked around the corner. The adults were still talking quietly, but they looked up. 'Koichi,' Mr Minamoto said. Koichi said nothing. Takuya thought he was still trying to decide how to approach a father he'd had no contact with. Takuya had suggested anger. Koichi had replied he'd already tried that approach. Last night.

Takuya wasn't quite sure if it had been Koichi himself or his mother who'd shut it down.

'Takuya…' Mr Minamoto sounded a little embarrassed at missing him. Takuya waved him off though. 'I'll go…err…visit Koji again,' he decided. It looked like family conference time and he didn't plan to be anywhere around.

And he was hoping that, this time, he wouldn't start crying.

He left them to it. Everyone looked uncomfortable and no-one quite knew what to say but that was to be expected. He'd hoped the adults would have made more progress by then but he supposed it wasn't that easy.

If things were that easy, life wouldn't have been so complicated for Koji…and Koichi.

He walked down the hallway, passed the other doors and to Koji's one.

Koji was, surprisingly, awake.

'Hi,' Takuya said, trying not to sound awkward.

'Hi,' Koji said flatly.

_So much for no more awkwardness… _Takuya thought, as the silence thickened. 'Err…your brother's a good sort, you know. Handling things better than I would've.'

He almost hit himself after that. Koji didn't even _know_…

Except Koji didn't seem surprised. Maybe he'd been awake for longer and one of the adults had told him stuff.

'So…err…'

'Are you going to ask me something?' Koji was looking away. Towards the window. Evidentially, he didn't want Takuya to.

And Takuya knew enough about Koji not to push _that_ button. 'Nah.' Hopefully his tone was light.

'Tell me about…_him_ then.'

Takuya noticed how he avoided using "my brother" or the name…or maybe he'd just forgotten the name. Different to how Koichi had fiddled around with terms to call his father and gone through several possibilities.

And how Koji was asking directly.

Koichi had asked indirectly. It amounted to the same thing.

* * *

**A/N:** I imagine some people will be disappointed by the ending, but the point wasn't the reasons behind Koji's hospitalisation (though I hope the anniversary approaching is enough for you guys to put your own thoughts to it), but Takuya meeting Koichi. In that, even their separate reactions were cut out – and really, I would have put those in if there was space, but it would have gone over 5k then and this is already my third attempt for that particular advent prompt. I have other opportunities where Koji is the one hospitalised instead of Koichi, and I imagine one of those will be more detailed. This was always meant to be short and sweet.

I had to cut out parts of the Takuya/Koichi conversation too unfortunately. Afterwards, I realised I could have added some of it in the end, but I'd already deleted them. Bad move on my part. :D Takuya is surprisingly observant when I write him so still works. He insists he is that way.


End file.
